One for all: Pendix, a mid-motor drive for retrofitting, aims to turn almost any bike into an e-bike. This is because the German-made drive system can be combined with almost all frame shapes and gear types. The drive is simply inserted into a standard BSA bottom bracket shell with a width of 68 or 73 millimetres.

Without display

The performance data sounds very promising: the motor - a brushless bottom bracket motor with 250 nominal power - produces a torque of 50 Newton meters. The maximum speed is 25 km/h and works with Eco, Smart and Sport power levels, multiplying the rider's power by 75, 150 and 200 percent respectively.

Battery control center

The lithium-ion battery has a capacity of 300 watt hours, a voltage of 48V and a charging time of around three hours. The charge status can be read off the battery and a fully charged battery takes around 3 hours to fully recharge. The system - which does not have a display and is switched on and off at the battery - weighs around 6.5 kg.

Also off-road

In Switzerland, Nicolai specialist Rasant GmbH is active as a distributor for Pendix in Switzerland. When it comes to using the Pendix drive on a mountain bike, Geri Bugmann from Rasant says: "The drive is powerful enough to cut a good figure even on steep mountain bike terrain." The hardtail is well suited for installation, but with full suspension it could be tight: "There has to be enough space for the battery with its 80 x 276 millimetres, which is rather difficult with some fullies," continues Bugmann.

At the TestRIDE from September 17 to 19, Rasant will have bikes with Pendix drive ranging from full suspension bikes to singlespeeders and city bikes for test rides.

www.pendix.ch